Fructose, a type of sugar, quickly absorbs into the liver of mice with diabetes, potentially causing health complications, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal eLife. The findings, if further studied, could provide insight for people with diabetes.
In the study, the researchers showed that mice with diabetes absorb fructose very quickly and that fructose is quickly sent to the liver. In the liver, it creates fat. The researchers say a protein that’s turned on by diabetes is likely to blame for the quick absorption and fat creation.
In the study, the researchers identified a molecular interaction that occurs in the inner lining of the intestine. The study authors say this interaction could regulate how much fructose a person absorbs when they eat very sweet foods or drinks. “We found that the mice with diabetes absorb more fructose than a mouse without diabetes,” says study author Richard Lee, a professor and a principal faculty member at Harvard Stem Cell Institute. “If this was proven in humans, it would imply that diabetic patients actually get more of the fructose if they ingest it.”
Lee says the study adds support to the idea that consuming too much sugar, like fructose, can spur diabetes, and not just calorie consumption alone.
Fructose is a type of sugar found in high-fructose corn syrup, which commonly used in sugary drinks and processed food, honey, table sugar and fruit. Consumption of fructose has significantly increased through the years, as has the prevalence of diseases like obesity and diabetes.
“Over the past few decades we’ve been eating more sugar, including fructose, and that correlates quite well with the metabolic problems we are seeing,” says Lee. “We want to know if this is true for all forms of diabetes, and we want to set up collaborations to study this in humans.”
Eating low amounts of fructose, like what a person would consume if they eat fruit, is considered safe.
It’s rewarding to accomplish a new yoga pose that you’ve been practicing for a while, but it feels even better when sharing that excitement with a friend.
Today we’re showing you how to do fun partner poses. Partner poses are great because they give you a sense of how much further and deeper you can go into your own practice. Plus, it’s fun to be able to assist someone else in his or her practice, and it’s always great to have human contact. So often in life we are shy, but yoga is a wonderful place to find that union. Let’s get started.
Partner Tree:
Stand side by side next to your partner. Both partners get into a tree position, placing their right foot against the inside of their left thigh. Next, thread your hands around your partner’s waist and lift the outside arm up. Try to touch each other's hands overhead to create an arch.
Back-to-Back Pose:
Sit back to back with your partner so the spines are aligned. Next, both partners twist their torsos to the left, placing their right hands on their left knees and their left hands on their partner’s right knee to aid each other’s stretches. Then twist to the other side.
Next, swivel back to center and raise arms up like cactus branches. Have both partners loop their hands together, so the elbows are pressing against each other. One partner leans forward for a great shoulder-opening stretch. Hold the stretch for about five to eight breaths, then switch. This gives your digestive tract a great massage and helps you stay regular.
Next, still seated on the mat, both partners place their feet hip-width apart out in front of their body. Both partners hook inner elbows together as they try to come up to stand together. Feel free to reverse the movement and try to come back down to the mat in the same way.
Lizard On A Rock Pose:
Have one partner get into a child’s pose. The other partner will sit on her back, resting hips against each other. Next, the top partner will extend her legs out long in front of her and raise her arms back behind her head to get a deep back bend that opens up the chest. The bottom partner below will get a stretch along the back of the body. Switch positions.
Gate Pose:
Have both partners come to stand on the knees, facing forward. One partner lengthens her left leg out to the left, while the other lengthens her right leg out to the right, crossing the legs in front of each other. Both partners then reach their outside arms over towards the center, creating a kind of gate overhead. This move strengthens the arms and stretches the side body.
Partner Boat Pose:
This is a great move for engaging the core. Sit facing your partner, each with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift out of your lower back and lean your upper body back slightly, engaging the core. Both partners float the legs up to 45 degrees, touching the soles of the feet together and grabbing opposite wrists for a supported boat pose.
After learning about the nutritional facts of blueberries, I’m sure you can see how challenging it was to narrow down the top health benefits of blueberries to just seven. But after some extensive research, I feel pretty confident that this list does the mighty purple fruit justice!
1. Combat aging
Antioxidants are your best friend to keep Father Time at bay. They help reverse damage done by toxins and free radicals and help your body defend itself against dangerous pathogens.
Not only are blueberries rich in antioxidants as a whole, but they are especially rich in proanthocyanidins, which have been observed to have additional anti-aging properties in several animal studies.
Much of the research has linked this to the ability of proanthocyanidins to reverse inflammation, the No. 1 of chronic disease in the world. Inflammation is at the root of most diseases and taxes the body like no other — it causes heart disease, diabetes, cancer and almost every illness known to man.
2. Boost the Brain
Because they contain such a high amount of phenols, particularly gallic acid, blueberries are known as “neuro-protective agents.” According to researchers from Iran, this means that they can literally protect our brains from degeneration, neurotoxicity and oxidative stress.
Some other foods high in gallic acid are known for their brain power as well. Brain foods that boost focus and memory include:
Blackberries
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Mangos
Plums
Strawberries
Green tea
Red wine
Another study found that consuming more blueberries slowed cognitive decline and improved memory and motor function. The scientists in this study believed these results were due to the antioxidants in blueberries that protect the body from oxidation stress and reduce inflammation.
3. Fight Cancer
Clinical studies have even discovered that, unlike radiation and chemotherapy strategies, gallic acid-rich foods like blueberries can kill cancer without harming healthy cells!
For instance, the Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology published a study evaluating the anticancer effects gallic acid has on breast cancer cells. Like countless studies before, researchers discovered that blueberries and gallic acid slow and even destroy breast cancer.
Blueberry benefits cancer primarily due to their wide range of antioxidants, with gallic acid the primary and resveratrol also offering support.
4. Support Digestion
Being a natural source of soluble and insoluble fiber, blueberries can help regulate your gastrointestinal track by just eating a couple handfuls a day.
In fact, University of Maine researcher Vivian Chi-Hua Wu states that, “Addition of wild blueberries to diet can alter the balance of gut microbe in favor of members of the Actinobacteria phylum.” Wu and her team discovered that wild blueberries have prebiotic potential, which promotes growth of good bacteria (probiotics) in the colon and promotes digestive and health benefit.
5. Promote Heart Health
The journal Circulation published a study showing that eating strawberries and blueberries together has a superpower tag-team effect that actually decreases your risk of heart attack by up to 33 percent.
After conducting research with more than 93,000 women 25 to 42 years of age, they did not observe this type of benefit in other types of antioxidants that were studied. Blueberry health benefits have also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol naturally, raise HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure naturally.
6. Benefit the Skin
Blueberry extract skin care products are becoming very popular around the world. It’s been reported that the wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals help restore hormone balance, which counteracts acne. That makes blueberries an excellent home remedy for acne.
Also, blueberries contain resveratrol, which is proven to reduce damage from over-sun exposure and can naturally darken your skin. Along with blueberry skin benefits, they have also been shown to naturally treat macular degeneration and improve vision.
7. Aid Weight Loss
Being low in calories, low on the glycemic index and high in fiber, everyone has at three reasons to eat blueberries to lose weight! According to the Mayo Clinic:
Because low glycemic index foods are absorbed more slowly, they stay in your digestive tract longer. This is why these foods are sometimes called slow carbs. These foods may help control appetite and delay hunger cues, which can help with weight management. Balanced blood sugar also can help reduce the risk of insulin resistance.
In a new review of previously published studies, people who took daytime naps longer than an hour were 45 percent more likely to have type 2 diabetes compared with those who didn’t nap at all. The association does not show that napping leads to diabetes, but does suggest that it could be a warning sign of the disease.
People who regularly napped for less than 60 minutes at a time had no increased risk.
The new review, conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo, was presented at this week’s European Association for the Study of Disease annual meeting in Munich; it has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal.
Napping is prevalent around the world, said study author Yamada Tomahide in a press release. It’s especially popular with people who can’t get enough sleep at night, for social or work-related reasons. Naps can also be helpful for people with sleep disorders who suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness.
And while getting enough sleep is important for overall wellness, too much sleep can also be considered a risk factor for (or a symptom of) chronic health problems. In his research, Tomahide cited several recent studies that have shown U-shaped curves describing the relationship between hours of sleep a night with metabolic diseases.
For this review, Tomahide and his colleagues looked at 21 studies with a total of 307,237 participants from Asian and Western countries. In each study, they note, researchers had designed their analyses to rule out possible influencers such as age, gender, and underlying health conditions.
Together, the results from these studies formed a J-shaped curve describing the relationship between daily nap duration and the risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome. (Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms, including high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol, that is often a precursor to full-blown diabetes or heart disease.)
The news isn’t all bad: Naps of any duration were not associated with an increased risk of obesity. And short naps actually appeared to be associated with a slightly lower risks or diabetes and metabolic syndrome, compared to no naps at all, although those results were not clinically significant.
As naps got longer, however, the risks of having diabetes and metabolic syndrome began to rise sharply, becoming clinically significant at 60 minutes and up.
This does not mean that napping itself raises the risk for diabetes, say the study authors. Rather, diabetes and the need for daytime naps could potentially share a common cause.
For example, someone who takes long naps every day could be doing so because they have a nighttime sleep disturbance like obstructive sleep apnea—a chronic condition linked to several other serious health problems.
Napping could also indicate sleep deprivation for other reasons. Regardless of cause, sleep deprivation has been shown to increase hunger and have a harmful impact on hormones and metabolism, potentially raising a person’s risk for diabetes. Depression, another reason people tend to sleep more, is also associated with diabetes.
Eve Van Cauter, PhD, an expert on circadian rhythm and metabolism at the University of Chicago, agrees that people who take long naps are likely to have other risk factors for diabetes.
“If they’re that tired during they day, it is likely that they are either having insufficient sleep or poor-quality sleep at night,” she says, “or they have an underlying condition, like depression, that the study did not look at.” She also singles out obstructive sleep apnea as a common cause of poor-quality sleep and daytime sleepiness, and says that it is “associated with strong risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes.”
Van Cauter, who was not involved in this new study, said she’d also be interested to know if shift workers or people with irregular work schedules were included in Tomahide’s analysis. “Shift work affects 20 percent of the active population and is also a risk factor for diabetes,” she says.
A short nap could be a smarter choice than a longer one, the researchers say, because short naps don’t involve deep-wave sleep. When people enter deep-wave sleep but don’t complete a full sleep cycle, they can experience sleep inertia—a feeling of grogginess, disorientation, and greater sleepiness than before.
“Several studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of taking short naps less than 30 minutes in duration, which help to increase alertness and motor skills,” they said. “Although the mechanisms by which a short nap might decrease the risk of diabetes are still unclear, such duration-dependent differences in the effects of sleep might partly explain our finding.”
In other words, they say, short naps may help improve circadian rhythm problems or endocrine abnormalities caused by sleep deprivation, while longer naps may not.
More studies are needed to determine how and why daytime sleeping—of any duration—truly affects diabetes risk. For now, if you’re sleeping for longer than an hour every afternoon, it might be a good idea to ask yourself (or your doctor) if an underlying health condition might be playing a role.
There’s a strong connection between physical activity and the risk of five common diseases, according to a study published today in The BMJ. The catch? To really reap the benefits, we need to move much more than global health experts currently recommend.
It’s no surprise that an active lifestyle may protect against a variety of health problems. But exactly how much and what type of activity is best is still up for debate, say the authors of the new study.
So they looked at the results from 174 previous studies that examined the association between total physical activity and at least one of five chronic diseases: breast and bowel cancer,diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In these cases, physical activity meant all forms of movement—including exercise, housework and gardening, and active transportation like walking and cycling.
As suspected, they found that people who got the most total weekly physical activity were the least likely to develop all five of these conditions.
But while the World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends a minimum of 600 metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes a week across different “domains” of daily life, the study found that the most significant risk reductions occurred at levels much higher—around 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes a week.
Yes, that’s a big difference. But don’t freak out just yet, the authors say. MET minutes aren’t equivalent to actual minutes; it’s a calculation that takes into account the intensity of the activity you’re doing. Jogging has a MET value of 7, for example, while walking the dog has a value of 3. A half hour of jogging, therefore, is equal to 210 MET minutes (7 x 30), while a half hour stroll with Fido (30 x 3) is only about 90.
So getting 3,000 MET minutes a week is easier than it sounds, especially if you incorporate different types of activity into your routine. For example, a typical day might include climbing stairs for 10 minutes, vacuuming for 15 minutes, gardening for 20 minutes, running for 20 minutes, and walking or cycling for 25 minutes.
In other words, move for an hour or two each day and you’ll be well on your way. “Getting 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes a week may seem like quite a bit, but it is achievable when you focus on total activity across all domains of life,” says study co-author Hmwe Kyu, PhD, acting assistant professor of global health at the University of Washington. “If you are just more active by doing housework, taking the stairs, gardening, taking active transportation—these are things that are doable for most people, even if you can’t do intense exercise or go to the gym.”
The study looked at observational results, which means it cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between physical activity and better health. And because it only considered total MET minutes, it wasn’t able to tell whether there were specific advantages to shorter, more intense workouts or longer, more moderate activity.
But the findings still have several important implications, according to the authors. First, the WHO’s recommendation for physical activity needs to be several times higher than it is currently, in order to see larger reductions in these five common diseases.
And second, they say, future research should pay more attention to total weekly activity—and not just leisure-time exercise, as many studies have done—to provide a better picture of how people can meet healthy activity goals in real-life settings.
Frozen strawberries are at the center of a multi-state outbreak of hepatitis A.
Health officials in Virginia, where the outbreak started, confirmed the link on Friday. So far 55 people across six states have been infected, according to CNN, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects that number to rise.
“Due to the relatively long incubation period for hepatitis A—15 to 50 days—before people start experiencing symptoms, we expect to see more ill people reported in this outbreak,” a CDC spokesperson told CNN.
In Virginia, 44 people alone have been infected. About half of those people have been hospitalized.
Many patients said they bought smoothies at cafes in Virginia and neighboring states, after which point authorities could trace the outbreak back to frozen strawberries that were imported from Egypt.
One chain, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, announced that it has removed and replaced the imported strawberries after the Virginia Department of Health alerted the smoothie chain to the issue.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious viral liver infection, but it’s rarely fatal and doesn’t cause chronic liver disease. Once patients recover—it can take a few months to feel better, the CDC said—they are protected from future infections.
Ginger is a root that has a crisp, pleasantly spicy flavor and also boasts many health benefits. One of these benefits is the ability of ginger to have a positive impact on maintaining a healthy weight—specifically, with losing weight and losing belly fat.
Ginger for Weight Loss – the Studies
According to the ancient practice of Ayurveda, eating and drinking ginger root can help keep your weight under control and research has confirmed this as well.
In a study published in the Journal of the Science and Food of Agriculture in 2014, researchers found that overweight rats who were given gingerol (a compound found in ginger) were able to lose weight after a 30-day supplementation period. The rats also showed improvements to blood sugar levels and leptin levels.1
Leptin is a compound that plays a role in feeling full and satisfied after a meal and I’ve already covered in great detail the importance of leptin for weight loss.
The researchers concluded that that ginger supplementation suppresses obesity induced by a high fat diet and it might be a promising adjuvant therapy for the treatment of obesity and its complications.
Another study published the prior year in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences showed that ginger supplementation had an equal impact on rat weight loss as a popular weight-loss medication, Orlistat. Additionally, the ginger caused noteworthy improvements to blood cholesterol level, with “good” cholesterol levels (HDL) up from their baseline level.2
With ginger’s power to help you feel full and help you properly digest your food, it’s no wonder that it shows such a strong impact on weight loss.
How Ginger Helps Battle Belly Fat
Not only can ginger help with weight maintenance in general, it can also keep that pesky belly fat at bay. Ginger can target the main reasons that belly fat accumulates, such as overeating, hormonal changes and low energy leading to lack of exercise.
Ginger helps you to feel full, so eating ginger or drinking ginger water can help curb the urge to overeat.
Hormonal changes and chronic stress can cause spikes in levels of blood cortisol, which throws the immune system and metabolism out of balance. According to an article in the Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin of 2004, ginger suppresses cortisol production.3
Elevated levels of cortisol may contribute to weight gain, especially making it hard to lose belly fat and I’ve mentioned it in my post on how to reset your hormones to lose weight and in my posts on how to lose belly fat without exercise.
Consuming ginger can help bring the internal balance back in tune and promote well-being and weight loss. Ginger’s sharp, distinctive flavor can also help naturally boost your energy levels, both physically and mentally.
How to Use Ginger for Weight Loss
If you want to use the healing powers of ginger to lose weight, here’s what to do.
Before eating, chew on a thin slice of ginger root. This will help in regulating metabolism, stimulating digestion, reducing cortisol production and increasing energy.
You can also grate a small piece of ginger and add a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of salt, then mix the ingredients. Eating a couple of small pinches of this mixture before you eat each of your meals helps to control appetite and aid digestion.
Alternatively you can make this ginger lemon tea as lemon can also aid weight loss and I’ve mentioned it in my post on how to use lemons to lose weight.
Don’t limit your ginger intake to before meals—use ginger as a spice in your cooking whenever you can to increase your ginger intake. Luckily, ginger has a tasty flavor that doesn’t need to be “masked” in order to reap the rewards the plant has to offer.
You can find more healthy and delicious recipes for fast and easy fat burning in my e-book Blast Your Belly Fat.
Ginger Tea for Weight Loss
Another great way to get more ginger into your life is by making a delicious and energizing tea from ginger root. Drink this tea two or three times per day to get the most out of it. It’s yummy and not at all hard to make.
Put 1 inch of grated fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp. of powdered ginger) into a heat-tolerant glass with a 2-cup capacity.
Boil water and pour over the ginger.
Allow the grated root to steep in the water for at least 10 minutes.
Strain the root from the tea. Add a teaspoon or two of raw honey and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Honey and lemon have their own health benefits that can increase the potency of this wonderful tea.
Alternatively you can mix or replace the water with Matcha tea which can help you burn fat four times faster.
Other Health Benefits of Ginger
Not only does ginger aid in weight loss, it can also reduce inflammation, reduce nausea and quell vomiting, and even kill cancer cells. You can also use ginger to make a special healing drink to detox your body and fight numerous diseases.
Dry, powdered ginger can keep for many months when stored in an airtight glass container in a cool, dark place. A fresh ginger root can be kept potent by storing it in the refrigerator and will keep for up to three weeks. You can even freeze the root to lengthen its lifespan—it will keep for up to half a year in the freezer.
You can read more about ginger’s medicinal properties in my e-book the Herbal Remedies Guide that will teach you how to treat common ailments using herbs.
Ginger – Precautions
Many people can experience improvements in health by using ground ginger in food or as a dietary supplement, but it’s not the right choice for everyone. There are certain groups of people that should avoid ginger consumption as it can interact with other medication and can worsen certain health conditions.
Water in ear may only seem like a slight annoyance, but leaving it untreated can cause serious damage and it can also impact your hearing as well. Usually, water can get into your ear while swimming or bathing. Wax located in the ear canal typically prevents water from entering too deeply into the ear canal but sometimes the fluid can get trapped inside. It is not difficult to get water out of ears and in this article I’ll look at the best natural ways for doing it.
You need to know that water in the ear can result in pain or reduced hearing. If left untreated, it can cause inflammation, hearing loss and cyst formation. Fluid that is trapped in the outer ear can be treated without involving a doctor.
However, water that is trapped in the middle ear must be treated by a doctor in order to prevent further damage or infection.
Let’s have a look at some easy and effective ways to remove water from the ear.
How to Get Water Out of Ears
1. Create a Pressure Change
Before putting anything in your ear, try to get the water out of your ears by manually forcing the water out with pressure change.
You may be able to remove the water out of your ear canal by simply chewing gum. Another approach is to cup your hand over your ear and pump inward while tilting the ear toward the ground – this can help you drain the water out of your ear canal.
The change in pressure may release the water naturally. Or you may get lucky and find the perfect angle to let the water escape.
You can also create a pressure change by using the Valsalva maneuver and opening up the Eustachian tubes which can help you to push water out of your ears.
Here’s how to do it:
Close your mouth and pinch your nose with your fingers like you were trying to hold your breath while going under water.
Gently blow into your nose while keeping your fingers pinched on your nose.
You should hear a slight popping sound, which means your tubes are open again.
Valsalva maneuver is also one of the ways to naturally get rid of clogged ears.
2. Change the Temperature of the Water
Warm water may be easier to get out than room (or ear) temperature water.
Try loosening up the ear wax in attempt to clear a path for the water by holding a washcloth with warm water to the ear (be careful not to burn your ear – use only warm water). Be sure to repeat this action several times while keeping the washcloth warm. After several attempts, try tilting your head or lying down to see if the water runs out of your ear.
You can also try various steaming methods to heat the liquid in your ear – this can help it dissipate out of the ear.
Sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running may loosen up the ear wax and allow the water to run out of your ear.
Another technique is to pour hot water into a bowl, place a towel over your head, lean over the bowl and inhale the steam. After 5 to 10 minutes, tilt your head to see if the fluid comes out the ear.
Steam inhalation (combined with essential oils) is also one of the natural ways to treat ear infection.
3. Use Rubbing Alcohol and Vinegar
Vinegar has a lot of surprising household uses but did you that vinegar can also help you get water out of ears?
The mixture of the alcohol and vinegar can remove ear wax blockage which can trap the fluid inside your ear.
In a bowl, mix together one teaspoon each of rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Then, using an eye dropper, place 2-3 drops of the mixture into your blocked ear. Rub your ear gently with a warm washcloth to incorporate the mixture.
Tilt your head to the side or lay down on your bed with the blocked ear facing down to help the water run out.
Dr. Robert Wilson, ENT, suggests that flushing the ear canal every few weeks with this mixture will often clean the ear and prevent wax impaction2. This can potentially help prevent water from getting trapped in the ears.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide for Blocked Ear
I have already mentioned the large number of uses of hydrogen peroxide and one of them is clearing wax and other fluid out of the ear2.
In a bowl mix together one teaspoon each of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water. Using a dropper, place two to three drops of the mixture in your plugged ear. This can help flushing wax buildup which traps the water in ear. Wait a few minutes for the liquid to settle before trying to run the water out of the affected ear.
5. Salt can Absorb the Water from your Ear
I’ve already mentioned that salt can help you get gorgeous skin and it can also help you to get rid of water trapped in ear.
To use this method, heat a small amount of salt in the microwave and place it on a cotton ball. Tie the cotton ball tightly so that no salt comes off. Then place the cotton ball near the opening of your blocked ear for several minutes. As salt absorbs water, this method should be able to draw the water out of your ear.
Be very careful not to put any salt directly in your ear.
6. Olive Oil and Garlic
Olive oil has a large number of health benefits and it may even reduce the risk of developing cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and hypertension.
According to an article published in Health Technol Assess1, olive oil can be used to remove ear wax buildup which can help you to drain the water out of your clogged ear.
To use olive oil to drain the fluid out of your ear, heat some olive oil in a small bowl over the stove. When it’s slightly warm (be careful as oil becomes hot quickly), place a few drops of olive oil into the blocked ear, using a dropper. Wait a few minutes before attempting to drain the water that is trapped inside the ear.
Or you can add garlic to the olive. Garlic contain antiseptic properties that may help prevent an ear infection if water is trapped inside.
Here’s how to make your own garlic oil which you can use to pour a few drops into the clogged ear.
Mash two cloves of garlic.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil.
Heat it together in a saucepan for a few seconds.
Let it cool down a bit.
Using a dropper, place 2 to 3 drops of garlic oil into the affected ear and wait several minutes.
Then tilt your head to the side or lie down and see if the fluid runs out.
A few Precautions
It is worthwhile to note that these ear cleaning procedures are not recommended if you suffer from an ear infection or ear pain.
Keep in mind that the inner parts of the ear are delicate and you should be careful not to poke the inner ear with the dropper, cotton swab or other objects. This is one of the reasons you should never ever clean inside your ear.
Finally, if these procedures do not help you to get the water out of your ear, seek professional help from an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor.
Aloe vera is a cactus-like plant which grows in tropical climates and has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties. From the gel that is in the plant’s leaves, it is possible to make aloe vera juice or aloe vera gel. You can use aloe vera gel to benefit your hair, but you don’t need to restrict yourself to the gel, as there are also benefits for using the aloe vera juice for hair as well.
Aloe vera still plays an important role in Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) today. For example, in Ayurvedic medicine aloe vera is used to improve digestion, reduce inflammation both internally and externally. In addition, aloe vera gel and aloe vera juice may help to treat hair loss. In TCM, aloe vera juice and the gel are used in a similar way.
The Health Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice and Aloe Vera Gel
Many studies into the medicinal uses of aloe vera confirm that it contains many therapeutic properties. Among these are that aloe vera:1
Contains healing properties which help soothe the skin and heal wounds
Can help boost the immune system
Has protective effect against radiation damage to the skin
Helps to moisturize the skin and reduce appearance of wrinkles
Has a laxative effect
Aloe vera also contains many vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids which means that aloe vera juice can be very good for you when maintaining the recommended intake.
Why is Aloe Vera Good for Hair?
You can use both aloe vera gel and aloe vera juice to benefit your hair.
Many of the therapeutic properties of aloe vera make it great as a topical application to keep your scalp healthy and your hair looking great. You can use aloe vera as a hair mask, to condition your hair, or you can add some aloe vera juice or gel to your shampoo. Aloe vera acts as a great conditioner that moisturize the hair, leaves the hair smooth and shiny and controls frizz.
Why exactly is aloe vera so good for your hair?
First of all, it contains many vitamins and minerals, as well as many active enzymes. Among the vitamins, aloe vera contains are vitamins A, C, E, and B12, all of which are essential for a healthy scalp. For example, vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants and help to keep the scalp free from free radicals.
Aloe vera has anti inflammatory and antiseptic properties.1 These properties can help soothe and moisturize an itchy scalp and keep the scalp free from dandruff, or relieve other conditions such as psoriasis and seborrhea. Aloe vera also contain enzymes which help to unclog hair follicles from dead skin.
Can aloe vera really help hair growth?
There have been no specific medical studies carried out into whether aloe vera juice or aloe vera gel can help in preventing hair loss or stimulating hair re-growth, and the evidence is anecdotal only.
It is known, however, that many of the above mentioned therapeutic benefits of aloe vera can help in promoting the growth of healthy hair and keeping the scalp healthy.
How To Use Aloe Vera Gel and Aloe Vera Juice for Hair?
How can you use all the amazing benefits of aloe vera to bring back that shine to your hair? There are many different ways that you can use both aloe vera juice and aloe vera gel to have great looking hair.
You can use aloe vera gel or juice on their own or combine them with other natural ingredients, such as lemon juice, vinegar, honey or natural oil to make your hair soft, clear and conditioned. You can also mix them with your shampoo, conditioner or other hair products.
Most people buy pure aloe vera gel because it is easier to use than trying to extract the gel from the plant. When you are looking for aloe vera gel, always read the product label and look for aloe vera gel which has the highest amount of aloe vera and has the fewest additives as possible.
Aloe Vera Gel As Hair Conditioning Mask
One of the best ways to use aloe vera to promote a healthy scalp and get great looking hair is to make a deep-conditioning hair mask.
Here is how to deep-condition your hair with aloe vera:
After washing, massage aloe vera gel into your hair. Make sure you cover all the strands of hair from the roots to the tips.
Put a steam cap over your head and, using a hairdryer, apply heat for about 5 minutes.
Rinse out the aloe vera and style your hair as usual.
To get even deeper conditioning, you can leave the aloe vera in your hair overnight and rinse out in the morning.
Aloe Vera Gel and Olive Oil for Deep Conditioning
Olive oil is one of the best natural oils for your hair, it is a great hair conditioner which also provides deep moisturization. To use olive oil together with aloe vera, this is what you should do:
Mix equal parts of aloe vera gel and extra virgin olive oil.
Massage into your scalp and hair, using a comb to make sure that all the hair strands are covered.
Leave for 30 minutes.
Wash your hair as usual.
Aloe Vera Juice as a Pre-Wash for your Hair
You can also use the therapeutic properties of aloe vera juice as a pre-wash for your hair. To do this, this is what you should do:
Mix equal parts of aloe vera juice, coconut milk, and wheat germ oil or any other natural oil, such as avocado oil or sweet almond oil.
Massage the liquid into your scalp, making sure that you cover all the hair strands.
Leave for 10 minutes before washing your hair as normal.
This can help to get rid of dandruff and remove dead skin cells from your scalp.
If you want to make a thicker pre-wash application, you can substitute aloe vera juice for aloe vera gel.
Aloe Vera Gel Shampoo or Conditioner
Aloe vera gel can also be used together with your shampoo or conditioner. All you have to do is mix well aloe vera gel with your regular shampoo or conditioner and wash as usual. This will leave your hair feeling smooth with a lot less frizz.
Aloe Vera Gel and Lemon Juice as a Conditioner
After washing your hair, you can use a mixture of aloe vera gel and lemon juice to condition your hair. This can help especially if you have oily hair. This is what you should do:
Mix 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Add 3-5 drops of either peppermint, tea tree, or rosemary essential oils.
Shampoo your hair as usual, but before rinsing, apply the mixture to your shampooed hair.
Leave it in for 3-5 minutes.
Rinse your hair.
Aloe Vera Gel for Dandruff
You can also combine aloe vera gel with tea tree oil to specifically target an itchy scalp and dandruff. Tea tree oil has powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties and has many uses. To use aloe vera to get rid of dandruff, this is what you should do:
Add a few drops of tea tree oil to some aloe vera gel.
You can add a little bit of water or rose water to get a less thick consistency.
Gently massage the mixture into your scalp, concentrating especially on the affected areas.
Leave for one hour before washing out.
Repeat once or twice a week.
Aloe Vera Shampoo
If you want a natural shampoo, you can easily make your own aloe vera shampoo. This is what you need:
1/4 cup of Castile soap
1/4 cup of aloe vera gel
1/4 cup distilled water
1 tsp. of glycerine (optional)
1 tsp. of vitamin E oil
A few drops of essential oil, such as tea tree, lavender, or rosemary
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl with a spoon or a whisk. Carefully pour into a bottle. It will be easier if you have a bottle that has a pump action on it. You can then use your homemade aloe vera shampoo as you would use any shampoo. Just remember to always shake well before use.
It’s important to follow with an acidic conditioning rinse. This is because Castile soap is very alkaline, so the acidic rinse (such as with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) will help to restore the pH.
Here is how to make an apple cider vinegar hair rinse:
In a spray bottle, mix 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (ACV) with one cup of water
After rinsing the Castile soap from your hair, apply the ACV rinse.
Gently massage into your scalp and hair and leave for few minutes
Rinse thoroughly with warm water
This works so great on your hair that you won’t need a conditioner afterwards. You can find more information about the benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV) for your hair in my article on why you should wash your hair with ACV.
Do you feel your hair is becoming thinner or grayer? Are you worried about a receding hairline or bald patches? When people notice their hair is changing, this can be a blow to their confidence. Our hair is often a part of our identity, so we might go to great lengths to preserve it.
Onion and onion juice can help you re-grow your hair. This natural home remedy might not sound that appealing, but it has been a successful treatment for hair loss for decades. Read on to find out how and why it works.
How Onion Helps in Hair Growth?
Onion is rich in sulfur. This mineral is one of the main building blocks of hair. It improves blood circulation and provides the hair follicles with sufficient nourishment. Onion also has anti-bacterial properties, so it helps with scalp infections that might contribute to hair loss.
Furthermore, it contains the enzyme catalase, which is an anti-oxidant that can prevent premature graying for some people (I also wrote an article about the top natural supplements for treating premature gray hair).
The Research
Onion’s potential as a potent home remedy for hair loss has also been studied scientifically. In 2002, the Journal of Dermatology published a small study that looked into the use of onion juice for alopecia areata (an autoimmune disease that presents with patchy hair loss).
Participants who applied onion juice twice daily for two months experienced much better hair re-growth rates compared to those who only used tap water. Men had better success with the treatment than did women.
How to Make Onion Rinse For Hair Growth
Onion and honey mix for hair growth
Mix ¼ cup of onion juice with 1 tablespoon of honey (if more mixture is required, double the amounts).
Apply the paste onto your scalp.
Leave it on for at least 30 minutes.
You can also cover it with a shower cap and leave it overnight.
Rinse it off.
Onion juice for hair growth
Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces.
Squeeze the juice out. To extract the juice, you can use a food processor, a blender, a grater or a juicer.
Massage the juice into your scalp or cover the bald patches.
Leave on for at least 15 minutes (longer if you can tolerate the smell) and then wash out using a mild shampoo.
This is a natural treatment, so you’ll have to be a bit patient to see the results. Use it daily (or minimum three times a week) and allow at least two months for your hair to start becoming stronger and shinier.